MLS Expansion Thread

Post #1 » by **LittleOzzy** » Sat Feb 14, 2015 10:09 pm

A thread to discuss the future expansion of Major League Soccer

Joining in 2017:
Atlanta
L.A.F.C

Joining in 2018:
Minnesota United FC

Approval pending finalized stadium plan:
Miami

Markets under consideration:
Sacramento
St. Louis
San Antonio
Ottawa

Post #2 » by **Wolfay** » Wed Feb 25, 2015 4:37 am

I think it's between Minneapolis and Sacramento. I'm biased of course, but I also think Sacramento is the only candidate city that has every box checked.

Established fan support? Check. Deep-pocketed and well-connected ownership group that includes the Sacramento Kings' Vivek Ranadive and the San Francisco 49ers' Jed York? Check. Centrally located and funded soccer-specific stadium plan? Check. Fully onboard local government? Check. Shoot, we were one of the top markets watching the World Cup and a lot of great soccer talent is coming out of the area. I guess you can argue we're not the biggest market and lack the corporate base, but the NBA didn't seem to find that a problem when they were faced with the choice between us and Seattle.

We know the Midwest is lacking and Commissioner Garber is a huge fan of Minnesota, but turning Sacramento down, or even telling us to wait for the next round of expansion when we have all of our stuff together could create a stink. My ideal scenario is that MLS tells Miami to wait for the next round while they get their act together, and lets Minny and Sac in for the 23rd and 24th slots.

Post #3 » by **LittleOzzy** » Sun Mar 1, 2015 2:03 pm

Wolfay wrote:I think it's between Minneapolis and Sacramento. I'm biased of course, but I also think Sacramento is the only candidate city that has every box checked.

Established fan support? Check. Deep-pocketed and well-connected ownership group that includes the Sacramento Kings' Vivek Ranadive and the San Francisco 49ers' Jed York? Check. Centrally located and funded soccer-specific stadium plan? Check. Fully onboard local government? Check. Shoot, we were one of the top markets watching the World Cup and a lot of great soccer talent is coming out of the area. I guess you can argue we're not the biggest market and lack the corporate base, but the NBA didn't seem to find that a problem when they were faced with the choice between us and Seattle.

We know the Midwest is lacking and Commissioner Garber is a huge fan of Minnesota, but turning Sacramento down, or even telling us to wait for the next round of expansion when we have all of our stuff together could create a stink. My ideal scenario is that MLS tells Miami to wait for the next round while they get their act together, and lets Minny and Sac in for the 23rd and 24th slots.

The other challenge Sacramento faces in MLS putting to much focus on LAFC. They could simply say three teams in California is enough even though I believe Sacramento should have came before trying L.A. again.

I also feel San Antonio has a good chance at being promoted. Both they and Sacramento should have came before Atlanta for sure.

Post #4 » by **LittleOzzy** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 9:35 pm

Minnesota United's MLS expansion bid set to be accepted by league

Minnesota United, which currently competes in the North American Soccer League, is expected to be granted an MLS expansion franchise, according to multiple sources. An announcement should come in the coming weeks, perhaps considerably sooner than the 45-day timeline referenced last weekend by commissioner Don Garber.

Speculation has been increasing in recent months that United had taken the lead over the Minnesota Vikings in the race to bring MLS to the Twin Cities. In October, SI.com reported that Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor and Twins owner Jim Pohlad joined United owner Dr. Bill McGuire’s investor group.

A month later, the group welcomed Dr. Glen Nelson, a member of the family that runs hotel and hospitality giant Carlson.

And at a recent event for United supporters, McGuire told fans, “We have saved you from having to worry about your team playing on a plastic pitch … You will be very excited about the news you hear shortly."

On Thursday, Minnesota soccer website Northern Pitch reported that, “MLS has provided written support for United’s efforts in building a stadium in downtown Minneapolis.” It’s now understood that the “written support” was a signed Letter of Intent from the league confirming that United is the choice for team No. 23, assuming construction of that stadium is confirmed. The club already has an option in place to acquire a piece of downtown property adjacent to the Minneapolis Farmers Market, just a couple blocks from Target Field.

MLS sources told SI.com Friday that United is the choice. Neither United nor the Vikings would comment. The league office sent SI.com a statement saying, “We remain on track to announce the next MLS expansion market in the next 30-45 days. No specific date for an expansion announcement has been set.”

http://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2015/03 ... sacramento

Merc_Porto · Post #5 » by **Merc_Porto** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 9:46 pm

Great news

PZiv · Post #6 » by **PZiv** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 9:49 pm

They should call it "Twin City United" Has a better ring to it.

Saltine · Post #7 » by **Saltine** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 10:30 pm

Once he got the Twins and Wolves behind him, the Wilfs were doomed

Post #8 » by **Wolfay** » Sat Mar 14, 2015 8:07 pm

Congratulations to Minnesota if the report proves to be true! I wish it was Sacramento, but I also understand why the league would go with Minny instead. I'll still hope that the league will lose patience with Beckham and give us Miami's spot, and Miami will get a spot in the next round of expansion. I know MLS isn't in the business of being fair, but Sacramento is one of the few places that has met and exceeded everything the league wants from a candidate city, yet it's the only one that doesn't have a guarantee of anything.

Post #9 » by **LittleOzzy** » Tue Mar 17, 2015 1:14 am

Don Garber, MLS Commissioner has been quoted saying the league's goal is to be one of the top leagues in the world by 2022. I think when quoted he wasn't necessarily talking about the on field product, but more so the revenue the league is bringing in.

The easiest way for the league to gain revenue is simply through expansion. Those fees alone will rise each year making more and more money for MLS.

I have started to see rumours that the ultimate goal in to have 40 teams playing in two 20 team leagues. Either with promotion and relegation, or more likely modeled after MLB baseball, with two equal leagues working side by side.

That would mean rapid expansion and totally eating up NASL soccer having those teams all join before 2022.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/24thminute/status/577569870402969600[/tweet]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/24thminute/status/577570116776374272[/tweet]

How things could end up in North America.

MLS West

Calgary
Colorado Rapids
FC Dallas
FC Edmonton
Houston Dynamo
LAFC
LA Galaxy
Minnesota United FC
Oklahoma City
Phoenix FC
Portland Timbers
Real Salt Lake
St. Louis
Sacramento Republic FC
San Antonio Scorpions
San Diego
San Jose Earthquakes
Seattle Sounders FC
Sporting Kansas City
Vancouver Whitecaps FC

MLS East

Atlanta
Carolina RailHawks
Chicago Fire
Columbus Crew
D.C. United
Detroit
Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Indy Eleven
Miami
Montreal Impact
New England Revolution
New York Cosmos
New York City FC
New York Red Bulls
Orlando City SC
Ottawa Fury FC
Philadelphia Union
Richmond
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Toronto FC

Now of course I'm just guessing, and no way should New York have three teams, or could Florida handle four, but you get the idea the direction the league is going in.

edfmx86 · Post #10 » by **edfmx86** » Tue Mar 17, 2015 4:40 am

Loons have a great logo right now. Hope it doesn't go away for expansion, but I can totally see a complete rebrand happening

Post #11 » by **LittleOzzy** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 1:37 pm

MLS, Dr. Bill McGuire set for major announcement in Minnesota | Wednesday at noon ET

Major League Soccer and Dr. Bill McGuire are set to make a major announcement at an event to be held on Wednesday, March 25, at noon ET and streamed live on MLSsoccer.com.

MLS Commissioner Don Garber and Dr. McGuire, the owner of Minnesota United FC of the second-division North American Soccer League, will "make an important announcement on the future of soccer in Minnesota," according to a league advisory. The event will be held at Target Field, home of Major League Baseball's Minnesota Twins.

Just last week, MLS confirmed it is in "advanced discussions with Bill McGuire and his partners" on a potential expansion club in the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2 ... esday-noon

Queequeg · Post #12 » by **Queequeg** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 3:25 pm

LittleOzzy wrote:Don Garber, MLS Commissioner has been quoted saying the league's goal is to be one of the top leagues in the world by 2022. I think when quoted he wasn't necessarily talking about the on field product, but more so the revenue the league is bringing in.

The easiest way for the league to gain revenue is simply through expansion. Those fees alone will rise each year making more and more money for MLS.

I have started to see rumours that the ultimate goal in to have 40 teams playing in two 20 team leagues. Either with promotion and relegation, or more likely modeled after MLB baseball, with two equal leagues working side by side.

That would mean rapid expansion and totally eating up NASL soccer having those teams all join before 2022.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/24thminute/status/577569870402969600[/tweet]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/24thminute/status/577570116776374272[/tweet]

How things could end up in North America.

MLS West

Calgary
Colorado Rapids
FC Dallas
FC Edmonton
Houston Dynamo
LAFC
LA Galaxy
Minnesota United FC
Oklahoma City
Phoenix FC
Portland Timbers
Real Salt Lake
St. Louis
Sacramento Republic FC
San Antonio Scorpions
San Diego
San Jose Earthquakes
Seattle Sounders FC
Sporting Kansas City
Vancouver Whitecaps FC

MLS East

Atlanta
Carolina RailHawks
Chicago Fire
Columbus Crew
D.C. United
Detroit
Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Indy Eleven
Miami
Montreal Impact
New England Revolution
New York Cosmos
New York City FC
New York Red Bulls
Orlando City SC
Ottawa Fury FC
Philadelphia Union
Richmond
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Toronto FC

Now of course I'm just guessing, and no way should New York have three teams, or could Florida handle four, but you get the idea the direction the league is going in.

Don't you think that the league should be stronger talent wise before they expand as much as they are? In other sports, expansion waters down the product and the thins out the talent level. If they continue to add teams can they continue to stack them with talent? That is what I worry about with all of the new teams.

Also, you have a huge list of teams that could be in one mega league. Could you make 2 or 3 leagues under the MLS umbrella and have a relegation and promotion type of situation like in England? I love that system, it really makes games for the losing teams just as important as the games for the winning teams.

Post #13 » by **LittleOzzy** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 3:31 pm

Queequeg wrote:
LittleOzzy wrote:Don Garber, MLS Commissioner has been quoted saying the league's goal is to be one of the top leagues in the world by 2022. I think when quoted he wasn't necessarily talking about the on field product, but more so the revenue the league is bringing in.

The easiest way for the league to gain revenue is simply through expansion. Those fees alone will rise each year making more and more money for MLS.

I have started to see rumours that the ultimate goal in to have 40 teams playing in two 20 team leagues. Either with promotion and relegation, or more likely modeled after MLB baseball, with two equal leagues working side by side.

That would mean rapid expansion and totally eating up NASL soccer having those teams all join before 2022.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/24thminute/status/577569870402969600[/tweet]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/24thminute/status/577570116776374272[/tweet]

How things could end up in North America.

MLS West

Calgary
Colorado Rapids
FC Dallas
FC Edmonton
Houston Dynamo
LAFC
LA Galaxy
Minnesota United FC
Oklahoma City
Phoenix FC
Portland Timbers
Real Salt Lake
St. Louis
Sacramento Republic FC
San Antonio Scorpions
San Diego
San Jose Earthquakes
Seattle Sounders FC
Sporting Kansas City
Vancouver Whitecaps FC

MLS East

Atlanta
Carolina RailHawks
Chicago Fire
Columbus Crew
D.C. United
Detroit
Fort Lauderdale Strikers
Indy Eleven
Miami
Montreal Impact
New England Revolution
New York Cosmos
New York City FC
New York Red Bulls
Orlando City SC
Ottawa Fury FC
Philadelphia Union
Richmond
Tampa Bay Rowdies
Toronto FC

Now of course I'm just guessing, and no way should New York have three teams, or could Florida handle four, but you get the idea the direction the league is going in.

Don't you think that the league should be stronger talent wise before they expand as much as they are? In other sports, expansion waters down the product and the thins out the talent level. If they continue to add teams can they continue to stack them with talent? That is what I worry about with all of the new teams.

Also, you have a huge list of teams that could be in one mega league. Could you make 2 or 3 leagues under the MLS umbrella and have a relegation and promotion type of situation like in England? I love that system, it really makes games for the losing teams just as important as the games for the winning teams.

The product would be watered down, but the world has an endless list of soccer talent looking for a place to play. If they continue with this rapid expansion the league will just have to adapt with more foreign players. That's not a bad thing, they would just have to change how they market the league.

As for promotion and relegation, the current owners would never go for it. They would lose too much money being sent down.

That's why I think they are looking at the Major League Baseball model, where two leagues run side by side but both sit at the same talent level.

Post #14 » by **LittleOzzy** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 4:21 pm

[tweet]https://twitter.com/TotalMLS/status/580766019632803840[/tweet]

That's a long wait for such an organized franchise, but I guess a stadium has to come first.

Welcome to MLS.

Merc_Porto · Post #15 » by **Merc_Porto** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 6:57 pm

Finnaly a team of Minnesota in the MLS.
Great news !!!

Hey Foye, you will support them?

Melonoma · Post #16 » by **Melonoma** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 3:30 am

This is great for the league. They need to add a team in Detroit next.

Post #17 » by **LittleOzzy** » Sat Mar 28, 2015 1:12 am

Melonoma wrote:This is great for the league. They need to add a team in Detroit next.

Why do you think Detroit deserves a team?

DIEHARD_005 · Post #18 » by **DIEHARD_005** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 5:55 pm

Would love to see Sacramento and San Antonio next in the US. Strongly feel that MLS could add a couple more Canadian franchises as well (Ottawa and absorb Edmonton FC) but that seems more like wishful thinking.

Post #19 » by **LittleOzzy** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 5:59 pm

DIEHARD_005 wrote:Would love to see Sacramento and San Antonio next in the US. Strongly feel that MLS could add a couple more Canadian franchises as well (Ottawa and absorb Edmonton FC) but that seems more like wishful thinking.

I think Ottawa has a better chance over Edmonton simply because of their stadium. MLS could come to Ottawa next season no problem if they wanted to. They are fully ready for a major franchise.

Edmonton, something would need to be built, or they would have to join forces with the CFL team like in Ottawa.

On a side note, the CFL has discussed starting an all Canadian league for soccer, that would play in CFL stadiums. They would easily take both Ottawa and Edmonto from NASL.

DIEHARD_005 · Post #20 » by **DIEHARD_005** » Sun Mar 29, 2015 8:55 pm

That would be interesting, but playing a tier II league (at best) in CFL sized stadiums will provide a horrible fan experience.